Hong Kong’s Octopus targets shoe shiners with e-payment system

Shoe-shining stalls in Hong Kong’s bustling business hub, Central, have emerged as the next industry targeted by electronic payment service providers, as a local operator seeks to fend off rising competition from mainland Chinese giants. Octopus, the smart card operator which has dominated the Hong Kong market for the past 20 years, rolled out a trial on a new QR code feature several weeks ago, including a real-time online payment via phone widely used in mainland China. At the busy Theatre Lane, three cobblers are already polishing up their act by allowing customers to settle payments through Octopus QR codes.